The Federal Worker Next Door

The rest of the compensation package isn't bad, either. Employees can save for retirement in a low-cost, 401(k)-type program, the Thrift Savings Plan. They also are guaranteed a pension. They have good health insurance and can carry their health benefits into retirement, a perk that is increasingly rare in the private sector.

6 . The pay and benefits help fuel the Washington region's economy. The estimated federal employee payroll in the region is $30.1 billion a year. That does not include salaries for the military, intelligence community and U.S. Postal Service.

Because the government is the area's largest employer, many local companies and nonprofit organizations take into account what the government is paying and how it manages employees.

7 . A number of these companies work as contractors, providing services and supplies to Uncle Sam. Some, such as Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics, are large defense contractors; others are small and obtain federal contracts because of preferences for veterans, women and minorities. There is no tally of how many employees in the region earn a living through government contracts and grants, but there is little doubt that federal procurement spending helps soften downturns in the rest of the local economy.

8 . Mobility is common. People in the military, intelligence community, Foreign Service, Internal Revenue Service and other agencies move regularly, sometimes as often as every three years. Relocation is frequently a requirement for getting ahead in government.

There also are more people interested in government work, experts say. People who want to work in government can find thousands of job openings at http://www.usajobs.gov, operated by the Office of Personnel Management. Companies that do business with the government, particularly the departments of Defense and Homeland Security, scout for people in government who have a top-secret or other security clearance and see a future in the private sector.

9 . Yes, it's hard to trust the government, but don't automatically conclude that the blame for waste, fraud and mismanagement should be aimed at the federal workforce. Career employees take their marching orders from political appointees, who often stay two to three years, on average. Then there is the board of directors: Congress. It places multiple and sometimes conflicting requirements on agencies. So have a little sympathy. No one would run a business like this.

10 . Your turn. After a few years living here, you'll develop your own perspective to complete this profile.

Stephen Barr's e-mail address isbarrs@washpost.com.